Chapter 14
Tanner stared at her stunning face, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Not feeling well? I can help with that. A little massage from me, and you’ll feel better in no time.”
As he spoke, he tightened his grip on her arm and pulled her closer. His hand reached straight for her chest.
Mona’s expression didn’t flicker. In one swift move, she caught his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him hard onto the ground.
Before his bodyguards could even react, she bolted.
She ran full speed for several blocks, not daring to look back. When she finally felt safe, she dropped onto the edge of a flowerbed, breath coming. in ragged gasps.
It was the coldest time of year in Ulby, and she was wearing nothing but. thin clothes. Her entire body was numb from the chill.
She rubbed her hands together for warmth, then ducked into a nearby phone store. With 170 dollars, she bought a basic phone and a prepaid SIM card.
She had just over 200 dollars left–only 100 more and she could pay Waylon back in full.
But after what had just happened, she knew one thing for sure: she could never go back to the nightclub. Not with Tanner still around.
Mona caught a bus home, her mind a mess of frustration and exhaustion.
Chapter 14
The moment she stepped through the front door, she saw Eldon and Liza sitting in the living room.
Liza jumped up the second she saw her. “Mona, you’re finally back! Eldon’s been waiting for you all night. You didn’t come home yesterday- we were so worried!”
Mona didn’t even glance at them. She headed straight to her room, grabbed some clothes, and went into the bathroom.
She was freezing. She filled the tub with steaming water and soaked for a long time until her limbs started to thaw.
After washing up and changing into clean clothes, she opened the door- only to find Liza standing right outside.
“Can we talk, just the two of us?” Liza said, pushing her way into the room without waiting for an answer.
Mona stood by the door, her voice icy. “Say what you need to say.”
“You stayed out last night on purpose, didn’t you? Just to get Eldon’s attention? He waited up for you all night. Are you satisfied now?”
Liza’s eyes turned red as tears welled up, her voice trembling like she’d just suffered some unbearable injustice.
Mona scoffed. “Liza, if you’re trying to win a man, do it with some skill. I haven’t seen Eldon in three years and you still haven’t locked him down? That’s just sad.”
Liza’s face went white with fury. “If you weren’t always seducing him, he would’ve married me by now!”
“Oh? So he won’t sleep with you?” Mona sneered. “Then strip down and throw yourself at him. Still not enough? Drug him.
Isn’t that your favorite
1046
Chapter14
tactic? What’s stopping you?”
Tears rolled down Liza’s cheeks. “I’m not that shameless! You’re so cruel!”
Then, without warning, she turned on the shower, soaked herself under the spray, ran out into the hallway, and screamed, “Mona, don’t push me into the bathtub–help! Somebody help!”
Seconds later, Eldon came rushing in. When he saw Liza drenched and shivering, he immediately took off his jacket and wrapped it around her.
Then he turned to Mona, face full of rage. “Mona, it’s freezing–how could you shove Liza into the tub? What is wrong with you?”
Liza sobbed into his chest. “Eldon. it’s fine. She only pushed my head under a few times. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”
Eldon pointed at Mona, voice shaking with anger. “How could I ever love. someone this heartless?”
Mona gave a cold laugh. She walked up to him, grabbed Liza by the arm, and dragged her back into the bathroom.
Without hesitation, she shoved her head into the tub.
Liza thrashed and struggled, but Mona held her down, her grip like iron.
Eldon finally snapped out of it and rushed into the room, shouting, “Mona! Are you trying to kill her? Let go!”
Mona yanked Liza up by the hair, stared her dead in the eyes, and said calmly, “You just told him I dunked your head multiple times. That was once. Let’s make it accurate.”
And with that, she shoved her back under the water.
Chapter
Liza panicked and cried out, “Eldon, help me!”
Eldon rushed over, shoved Mona aside, and pulled Liza out of the tub.
“Liza, are you okay?”
She coughed up several mouthfuls of water before collapsing into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Mona. how could you do this to me? Do you really hate me that much? I didn’t choose to be the one Mom and Dad love more. It’s not my fault.”
1046
